COLUMN: Macon Arts Alliance to feature photographer Matt Odom, plus more First Friday fare

Macon-based Matt Odom has made a name for himself as a photographer here and across the U.S.

Odom’s award-winning editorial, commercial, sports and other work has graced pages and fit-the-bill for clients like Macon Magazine, Mercer University, Georgia Trends, The Nature Conservancy, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, National Geographic, ESPN and — well, you get it.

He’s even set photographer for TV’s “Critter Fixers.”

A 2011 Mercer graduate who grew up here, Odom is a get-the-job-done photographer who’s developed a recognizable style reflecting his interest in people and artfully capturing their stories.

Odom is also a teacher, sharing skills with other photographers and at Georgia Piedmont Technical College.

Today, Macon Arts Alliance opens a solo show highlighting Odom’s industrial work at its 486 First St. gallery. There’s a reception from 4 to 7 p.m. It’s free with more information at www.maconartsalliance.org and www.facebook.com/maconartsalliance.

“I wanted to show something different,” Odom said. “A lot of people see my portraits and work but not a lot of the industrial work. I like showing how people work, build things and make things go.”

This is Odom’s second solo Macon show, the other was at The Tubman Museum three years ago which reflected a wider slice of life and many African American themes. One striking example of the new show is someone Odom noticed during a commercial shoot for Ryder. “He was working hard so I just took a second to sneak over and grab the shot,” he said. Another shows depth and character of a press shop worker.

Sixteen photographs are in the show.

Reflecting on the growing territory he covers, Odom said he was shocked doing his taxes and figuring his business mileage. “I was like, good Lord,” he said. “How could I have spent that much time on the road?”

His next personal project is photographing women truck drivers and his search is on to find them.

Sierra Bush, curator at Macon Arts, said Odom’s style of portrait photography attracted her.

“There’s definitely a way he captures the person and something beyond that, something about who they truly are,” she said, adding seeing it in industrial settings makes it all the more intriguing.

The show is part of September First Friday activities today. Considering the growth of galleries, businesses, hotels and other spots downtown, and particularly an ever-expanding cluster of them on First Street, Macon Arts Alliance’s executive director, Julie Wilkerson, said First Street is emerging as an arts district within the more-and-more artful downtown.

In fact, skipping ahead to next weekend, there will be a First Street Art & Wine Festival Sept. 9-10 with special events street-wide centered around art and Just Tap’d offering wine flights and wine by the glass with cheese pairings. The “Pots & Pixels” show of work by Heatherly Wakefield and Jonathan Harwell-Dye at The 567 Center will be part (the show opens today for First Friday, by the way) along with a festival weekend fired-alcohol-ink wineglass class. At the Sixth Ave boutique, customers will have a chance to paint their own custom shoes.

There will be much more, more food and drink, live music, an artist’s market with displays and exhibitions and other treats and things to do at a variety of businesses. It’s family-friendly with kid’s crafts, too, like a “Paint an Oyster” craft at The Pearl.

At Macon Arts, Odom will have an artist Q&A Saturday.

There’s so much going on it’s best to check with participants this week, their websites or social media presences, for times and all the happenings.

Here’s more from my notebook on First Friday and the busy week ahead:

— A benefit of the growing number of galleries is the diversity of artists, media, themes and subject matter on view. Mercer’s McEachern Art Center opens “Storm Songs” today, a painting and drawing exhibition by Tallahassee-based Alexa Kleinbard.

Center director and Mercer lecturer Ben Dunn said Kleinbard’s work reflects issues of ecological degradation in the Southeast with recognizable North Florida flora and fauna, something that’s captured the artist’s attention.

“During the past 40 years, I have focused my work on what human beings must protect in nature’s remarkable garden of biodiversity,” Kleinbard said. “The catalyst for these drawings and paintings is my lifelong interest in the natural world and humans’ impact on it.”

The McEachern will feature Kleinbard at an artist’s talk reception today at 6 p.m. at 332 Second St. The show remains through Nov. 5. Admission is free during gallery hours, 4 to 8 p.m., Thursdays-Saturdays.

Dunn called Kleinbard’s work “dark, mysterious images of the collapsing natural environment” which should be seen by anyone interested in ecology or in painting.”

-Get into the nooks and crannies of the Grand Opera House today during its First Friday Open House, Cocktail Challenge and Backstage Tour. Are there ghosts? Did Houdini cut holes in the floor? The Grand bar will be open, questions answered and prize packages given. Learn more at www.facebook.com/grandoperahousemacon and www.thegrandmacon.com.

— With Labor Day week at hand, Mercer’s McDuffie Center for Strings brings its live Labor Day Festival Concert to the campus at the Townsend School of Music, Monday from 3 to 5 p.m. The concert is the culmination of the center’s gathering six high school seniors from across the U.S. for three days of intensive study then a combined faculty/student concert.

“It feels good after several years of the festival either being canceled or just held ‘in-house’ due to COVID to have seniors here for the full three-day intensive string immersion and concert,” said Amy Moretti, center director. “We know the seniors will fall in love with Macon, Mercer and the McDuffie Center and it’s a wonderful way for prospective students to see what their life could be like if they came to school here.”

And it’s perfect for community members wanting to hear the visiting students, McDuffie students and center faculty play in small and full ensembles. Performing faculty include Moretti, Robert McDuffie, Annie Fullard, Leo Singer and Daniel Tosky.

“It’s always a celebration,” Moretti said. “I hope it’s as highly anticipated as it was pre-COVID. With no school that day, it’s a wonderful way for families to see a short concert featuring younger people closer to their age.”

— Also in a more classical vein, the Amethyst Baroque Ensemble presents “Gran’ Canzon: Treasures of 17th Century Italy,” Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 830 Poplar St. Amethyst member Gregory Hamilton said group members come from across Georgia and the U.S. to play period instruments such as the sackbut (pre-trombone), recorders, harpsichord, organ, viola da gamba, veolana and lute theorbo - a six-foot lute.

“I’m certain there’s never been anything quite like it here before and it will be repeated twice in Atlanta,” said Hamilton who also plays organ and harpsichord and is music director at St. Joseph.

Suggested donation at the door is $20 and $10 for seniors and students.

Remember, NewTown Macon offers a good rundown of First Friday offerings at www.newtownmacon.com and by searching “First Friday September.”

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.